ICC drops associates from 2015 World Cup

The ICC has decided to go ahead with 10 full members for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The executive board of the ICC that met here on Monday confirmed the decision, taken in October, that the 2015 World Cup and 2019 World Cup in England will be a 10-team event.

“The board agreed that the 2015 World Cup will comprise the existing 10 full members, however, they gave notice to all Full Members that participation in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup will be determined on the basis of qualification. It was also agreed that post the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 there will be promotion and relegation introduced in the ODI League,” the ICC said in a statement.

“The board had also decided in October 2010 that the ICC World Twenty20 will comprise 16 teams. This would allow six Associates or Affiliates the opportunity to participate in an ICC Global event every two years,” the statement said.

Dhoni didn’t inspect pitch before final Mahendra Singh Dhoni did not inspect the Wankhede stadium pitch even for once prior to the World Cup final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai.

Captains, players and team management usually inspect pitches a day or two before matches but Dhoni and his team-mates did not bother to do so according to Wankhede Stadium curator Sudhir Naik.

“Not only Dhoni, no member of the Indian team ever bothered to look or inspect the pitch,” said Naik.

Run-rate tops 5 per over for first timeThe just-concluded World Cup topped the average run rate of more than five runs per over for the first time in its 36-year-old history. The tenth edition of the tournament averaged 5.03 per over, compared to the previous highest of 4.95 per over in the 2007 competition in the West Indies. The scoring rate has changed since the first three editions in 1975, 1979 and 1983 during which per innings consisted of 60 overs, rather than the current 50 over-format.

Fans clamour for ICC collectiblesThe ball which MS Dhoni hit for a six in the World Cup final match against Sri Lanka has till Monday received a highest bid of $ 47,800 (over R 21 lakh). The fateful final match toss coin, which has also been auctioned by the ICC along with other memorabilia and collectibles, has received a highest bid of $25,800 (around R 11.5 lakh).The bidding will close on April 6.